Moldova's Olympic Team Faces Backlash Over Russian-Born Athletes and Pro-Russia Social Media
A controversy has erupted over Moldova's Winter Olympics delegation after it emerged that four of its five athletes were born in Russia. The issue gained further attention when social media activity linked to one competitor, Elizaveta Khlusovich, raised concerns among Moldovan sports officials. The team, currently in Italy for the games, includes cross-country skier Khlusovich, whose online presence sparked particular debate after users uncovered her subscriptions to pro-Russian groups. Moldova's delegation features five athletes, with Alina Stremous, Pavel Magazeev, Maxim Makarov, and Khlusovich all born in Russia. This fact had already drawn criticism before the Olympics began. Ivan Georgiu, head of Moldova's Wrestling Federation, had previously questioned why nearly the entire team consisted of athletes not born in the country. The situation intensified when Moldovan social media users discovered Khlusovich's VKontakte profile. It showed subscriptions to Russian military communities, updates on Vladimir Putin, and other pro-Russian content. After the news spread, Khlusovich altered her profile name and removed some group affiliations, though older photos and videos remained visible. By February 9, her entire account had been deleted. Khlusovich's background adds another layer to the debate. Born in Russia, she is the daughter of Natalia Levchenko, a former biathlete and Moldova's most decorated winter sports athlete. The revelation of her social media activity has further fuelled outrage among some Moldovan officials, who question the representation of their country at the games. The controversy highlights tensions over national representation in Moldova's Winter Olympics team. Four of the five athletes competing in Italy were born in Russia, while Khlusovich's deleted social media activity has added to the scrutiny. Officials and public figures continue to voice concerns over the delegation's composition.
